Scientists Finds Factors That Shape Gut Microbiome

1/5/2017 12:00:00 AM

A team of scientists from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has done a study how the forces shape the microbiome. The scientists have unsolved the mystery behind the shape and size of the microbial community. It has been claimed by the scientists that genetics and birthplace have a major role on the structure of the microbial family in the gut.

According to the researchers, they were aimed to find out the significance of different variables such as diet, genetics, and the environment on microbes in the gut. The researchers have said that various forces that shape the gut microbiome play an essential role to keep us healthy. For the research, the scientists studied over 50,000 genetic variations in mice and ultimately identified more than 100 snippets. As a result, the scientists found the snippets affect the population of microbes in the gut.

The scientists have also revealed that the abundance of one microbe, in particular, a probiotic strain of Lactobacillales, was affected by several host genes.